Avs to try and emulate…Nuggets?

It used to be quite the opposite. For about 12 years, The Nuggets, compared to the Avalanche, used to be the drunken uncle at the party with the lampshade on his head ready to break out into his 10th rendition of “Oh Danny Boy.”

The Nuggets were the butts of many private Avs jokes. Can you believe how they do things over at that side of the building? is something I heard more than a few times over the years.

That was then. Now, the Nuggets are being privately referred to inside the Kroenke Sports empire as the way the Avs should pattern themselves after. More than a couple of well-placed insiders say Kroenke has essentially told Avs personnel, “Hey, we cut our payroll with the Nuggets last year and nearly made the NBA Finals. You guys need to cut the payroll too. If I’m going to pay for a last-place team again, I’m not going to do it with one of the biggest payrolls in the league again.”

So, the Avs are trying to move some salary right now. It’s no secret around the league. Guys like Smitty, Clarkie, Hanner, Rusty, Tucks and maybe Liles and Footer, are all available to anybody who is interested.

Trouble is, nobody wants to take on a lot of payroll right now. Teams, as I’ve written before, are afraid of what the cap number will be (I think that fear is a little overblown, but we’ll see) and, let’s face it, the market has never been great for 30-something guys making huge money, like Smitty, Clarkie and Rusty, etc.

But still, I’m told Kroenke wants a lower payroll to start the season. One shocking number I’ve heard from a well-placed person is $43 million – as in the total payroll Kroenke wants. That is only a little above the league-mandate salary floor for next season.

That would mean guys like Smitty and Clarkie HAVE to be moved. But it could be very, very tough to do. And what are the Avs going to get in return? Not much probably. Smitty would bring something good in return, but that contract number is just so huge ($6.25 million for three more years).

this is why Owners that don’t understand sports are idiots. If you can’t differentiate the two then sell the team to someone who does.

Danny

this is why Owners that don’t understand sports are idiots. If you can’t differentiate the two then sell the team to someone who does.

Avaranche

Screw Kroenke and the Thuggets!!! Marsh-Melo is one of the most overrated players in the league. He has Cutler syndrome too, when the going gets tough he puts on his crybaby face and pouts like a 2 year old instead of manning-up and trying to win. Now, let us never mention that horrid league (NBA) in a hockey article again.

I am still going on record as saying the trade/resigning of Foote from the BooHoo Jackets was the worst trade/deal the Avs have ever done. Even more than the Drury trade.

Avaranche

Screw Kroenke and the Thuggets!!! Marsh-Melo is one of the most overrated players in the league. He has Cutler syndrome too, when the going gets tough he puts on his crybaby face and pouts like a 2 year old instead of manning-up and trying to win. Now, let us never mention that horrid league (NBA) in a hockey article again.

I am still going on record as saying the trade/resigning of Foote from the BooHoo Jackets was the worst trade/deal the Avs have ever done. Even more than the Drury trade.

David

I can’t imagine a $43m payroll for the Avalanche. There are bargains out there, but you do get what you pay for……..

David

I can’t imagine a $43m payroll for the Avalanche. There are bargains out there, but you do get what you pay for……..

Bill

Well, first off if they are trying to trim payroll they are starting off pretty badly by the signing of Budaj with a nice pay raise. Secondly, being in Michigan the Pistons are the only homestate team that I like. I was not very happy when they gave Chauncey away to the Nuggets. After that trade I was hoping that he would be able to lead the Nugs to a championship; while watching one of their playoff games the broadcaster stated that Kroanke was willing to pay the payroll tax for going over the NBA ceiling. So which is it. The Nuggets had a small payroll or they paid the league tax for having too big of a payroll?

Bill

Well, first off if they are trying to trim payroll they are starting off pretty badly by the signing of Budaj with a nice pay raise. Secondly, being in Michigan the Pistons are the only homestate team that I like. I was not very happy when they gave Chauncey away to the Nuggets. After that trade I was hoping that he would be able to lead the Nugs to a championship; while watching one of their playoff games the broadcaster stated that Kroanke was willing to pay the payroll tax for going over the NBA ceiling. So which is it. The Nuggets had a small payroll or they paid the league tax for having too big of a payroll?

Casimir Pulaski

Really smart to compare the Nuggets to the Avs, E.L. Kroenke…Granted, all we have to do is look at the 2003-2004 version of the Avs with Sakic, Forsberg, Selanne, Kariya, Blake, Foote, etc., to know that Stanley Cups are not won on July 1st – but…I will eat my hat if the Nuggets make it as far next year, as they did this year – it was somewhat of a fluke, I think, and the Western conference in the NBA is already getting better, just as the Western conference in the NHL – so, go ahead and cut costs, E.L., while the Calgary’s, the Edmonton’s, the Vancouver’s, and the Minnesota’s of the league just get better – looks like we may be in for yet another long, long season. This has to be one of the most foolish ways of doing business I have ever seen – and, we’re not talking about a grocery store chain here, we’re talking about an NHL franchise.

Casimir Pulaski

Really smart to compare the Nuggets to the Avs, E.L. Kroenke…Granted, all we have to do is look at the 2003-2004 version of the Avs with Sakic, Forsberg, Selanne, Kariya, Blake, Foote, etc., to know that Stanley Cups are not won on July 1st – but…I will eat my hat if the Nuggets make it as far next year, as they did this year – it was somewhat of a fluke, I think, and the Western conference in the NBA is already getting better, just as the Western conference in the NHL – so, go ahead and cut costs, E.L., while the Calgary’s, the Edmonton’s, the Vancouver’s, and the Minnesota’s of the league just get better – looks like we may be in for yet another long, long season. This has to be one of the most foolish ways of doing business I have ever seen – and, we’re not talking about a grocery store chain here, we’re talking about an NHL franchise.

James

Good, cut some salary in the form of Tucker and Clark. Not Liles or Smyth though! This team isn’t as bad as it’s draft position made it look; get a goalie and they’ll at least sniff the playoffs.

James

Good, cut some salary in the form of Tucker and Clark. Not Liles or Smyth though! This team isn’t as bad as it’s draft position made it look; get a goalie and they’ll at least sniff the playoffs.

JB

You gotta be friggin kidding me! I’ve never heard such a crock of shift! Tell me A.D. how many guys make up an NBA roster? 15? How many guys are on an NHL roster? 23!!! That’s 8 more players and you want to pay them 61% of the Nuggets payroll and still be competitive? The 4 teams that made the finals spent between $51 and $57 Million last year. The AVS spent the same but was terribly mismanaged! Maybe if the AVS didn’t waste $2.2Mil is a useless Tucker, $4.5 Mil on a non hitter Hannan, $$12.5 Mil on Joey for 2 seasons of mostly injured, a raise to a goalie who was a sieve and the list goes on and on. They should have traded a lot of these guys for even low picks and then trade the picks to get 5 top players like Snow did!

Without a doubt you can ice a team for $51 Million and compete year in and year out but there can can be no B.S. private boys club or favoritism. You can’t be afraid of strong willed guys and most of all you can’t be blinded so much by talent that you don’t see the big picture of how to craft a team. The AVS are notorious for mismanaging lines and destroying chemistry. DET always brings in the right people and uses them in the right places. That is why they are always competitive! They also don’t have their top center flopping in front of pucks on a penalty kill!

Yea let’s pattern after the Nuggets. “A judge sentenced Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith to 90 days in jail Tuesday night for causing an auto accident that killed his friend” Hmm this is something I want my kids to grow up and do!

I once took a job where the pay was based on me doubling a companies sales in 2 months. I did it. Get the right people Kronke! Why do you even need a useless president and a GM. You are the president. Spend less money on management and spend on a winning team!

JB

You gotta be friggin kidding me! I’ve never heard such a crock of shift! Tell me A.D. how many guys make up an NBA roster? 15? How many guys are on an NHL roster? 23!!! That’s 8 more players and you want to pay them 61% of the Nuggets payroll and still be competitive? The 4 teams that made the finals spent between $51 and $57 Million last year. The AVS spent the same but was terribly mismanaged! Maybe if the AVS didn’t waste $2.2Mil is a useless Tucker, $4.5 Mil on a non hitter Hannan, $$12.5 Mil on Joey for 2 seasons of mostly injured, a raise to a goalie who was a sieve and the list goes on and on. They should have traded a lot of these guys for even low picks and then trade the picks to get 5 top players like Snow did!

Without a doubt you can ice a team for $51 Million and compete year in and year out but there can can be no B.S. private boys club or favoritism. You can’t be afraid of strong willed guys and most of all you can’t be blinded so much by talent that you don’t see the big picture of how to craft a team. The AVS are notorious for mismanaging lines and destroying chemistry. DET always brings in the right people and uses them in the right places. That is why they are always competitive! They also don’t have their top center flopping in front of pucks on a penalty kill!

Yea let’s pattern after the Nuggets. “A judge sentenced Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith to 90 days in jail Tuesday night for causing an auto accident that killed his friend” Hmm this is something I want my kids to grow up and do!

I once took a job where the pay was based on me doubling a companies sales in 2 months. I did it. Get the right people Kronke! Why do you even need a useless president and a GM. You are the president. Spend less money on management and spend on a winning team!

stream

What the hell Adrian?!!! Why is the richest man in sports putting the crunch on the Avs? 10 or so million dollars is almost pocket change for the man. I mean, he watched his beloved Nuggets lose for years at the bottom of the league with a payroll astronomically higher than any AVS team on record!!!

I am just starting to get agitated with all the people running this team. Giguere can take a flyin’…………! Now Kroenke is trying to tell us that not only won’t we even be able to add any decent pieces for the future of the Avs, that even if we some how lucked out and traded Smyth or Hannan and such, we must give him back his filthy money and go from hopeless and poor this season to hopelessly poor with bare cupboards and no assets!

I am sorry for the rant, but as a true blood Avs fan I feel just simply defeated. It is just really hard to head into a brand new, fresh season knowing that Avs nation will suffer all season long already knowing that the outcome is grim. Then, on top of all of that dissapointment, we hear that Kreonke wants to steal our hope for many more seasons than was already unbearable.

I feel like crying.

Even the promise of Duschene playing this year isn’t enough to lift my spirits much now.

We need a new sugar-daddy, one that loves the Avs most.

Hey, Adrian – What happens if we can’t meet his pre-imposed cap?

Will he take away our birthday too?

Now, when Jonas Gustavssen and Sakic dash our last hopes later this summer we will become the most pitiful franchise in the league, officially.

Honest,

To the man upstairs,

I never even thought that this day was even possible for us….sad..

stream

What the hell Adrian?!!! Why is the richest man in sports putting the crunch on the Avs? 10 or so million dollars is almost pocket change for the man. I mean, he watched his beloved Nuggets lose for years at the bottom of the league with a payroll astronomically higher than any AVS team on record!!!

I am just starting to get agitated with all the people running this team. Giguere can take a flyin’…………! Now Kroenke is trying to tell us that not only won’t we even be able to add any decent pieces for the future of the Avs, that even if we some how lucked out and traded Smyth or Hannan and such, we must give him back his filthy money and go from hopeless and poor this season to hopelessly poor with bare cupboards and no assets!

I am sorry for the rant, but as a true blood Avs fan I feel just simply defeated. It is just really hard to head into a brand new, fresh season knowing that Avs nation will suffer all season long already knowing that the outcome is grim. Then, on top of all of that dissapointment, we hear that Kreonke wants to steal our hope for many more seasons than was already unbearable.

I feel like crying.

Even the promise of Duschene playing this year isn’t enough to lift my spirits much now.

We need a new sugar-daddy, one that loves the Avs most.

Hey, Adrian – What happens if we can’t meet his pre-imposed cap?

Will he take away our birthday too?

Now, when Jonas Gustavssen and Sakic dash our last hopes later this summer we will become the most pitiful franchise in the league, officially.

Honest,

To the man upstairs,

I never even thought that this day was even possible for us….sad..

Billy

As much as the draft had me excited this week, it’s back to reality now. Edmonton looks like it’s about to acquire Heatley, Calgary grabs Bouwmeester, then the BIG ANOUNCEMENT “Colorado re-signs Budaj”. I will give this new management structure some time to clean up the mess they have now. But what puzzles me is, why does a team that finished last in the conference clean house from top to bottom, then promote from within??? Are these guys not somewhat responsible for last years result?

Billy

As much as the draft had me excited this week, it’s back to reality now. Edmonton looks like it’s about to acquire Heatley, Calgary grabs Bouwmeester, then the BIG ANOUNCEMENT “Colorado re-signs Budaj”. I will give this new management structure some time to clean up the mess they have now. But what puzzles me is, why does a team that finished last in the conference clean house from top to bottom, then promote from within??? Are these guys not somewhat responsible for last years result?

Big Ryan

If this is true then how could they possibly justify giving Budaj a $450,000 raise and not a pay cut? He was a RFA and there was little to no chance that any team would have signed him to an offer sheet. He should have received the league minimum, on a two way contract and nothing more. They need to move some of those contracts but not the contracts of quality players, whom they will need to be even partially successful this season.

Big Ryan

If this is true then how could they possibly justify giving Budaj a $450,000 raise and not a pay cut? He was a RFA and there was little to no chance that any team would have signed him to an offer sheet. He should have received the league minimum, on a two way contract and nothing more. They need to move some of those contracts but not the contracts of quality players, whom they will need to be even partially successful this season.

Mike1969

interesting, unbelievable actually, that Budaj not only was resigned but actually given a raise! I also can’t believe the insulting pay cut offer we made Lappy and are now just going to let him skate. Next year is gonna be rough. If I were Joe I don’t know if I would want to go out playing with this year’s squad. I hope our Av players don’t emulate the Thuget role models too much and get caught with drugs in the airport “wasn’t me, Them drugs be Slim’s”, show up in a drug video talking about “Whacking Rats”, have their posses rough up fans trying to get autographs at the local 7-11, and/or be pulled over for multiple DUI’s…the more I think about it I hope the Av players don’t emulate the Thugets at all.

Mike1969

interesting, unbelievable actually, that Budaj not only was resigned but actually given a raise! I also can’t believe the insulting pay cut offer we made Lappy and are now just going to let him skate. Next year is gonna be rough. If I were Joe I don’t know if I would want to go out playing with this year’s squad. I hope our Av players don’t emulate the Thuget role models too much and get caught with drugs in the airport “wasn’t me, Them drugs be Slim’s”, show up in a drug video talking about “Whacking Rats”, have their posses rough up fans trying to get autographs at the local 7-11, and/or be pulled over for multiple DUI’s…the more I think about it I hope the Av players don’t emulate the Thugets at all.

J.

All I know is that with Jay-Bo to the flames and Heatley to the Oilers, Sherman’s going to have to pull some sort of vintage-Lacroix-miracle if the avs are going to be able to compete in the Northwest division next year.

Time to get creative guys!

As much as I wouldn’t mind another high draft pick, watching us get manhandled by every team in our division doesn’t sound like my idea of a good time.

J.

All I know is that with Jay-Bo to the flames and Heatley to the Oilers, Sherman’s going to have to pull some sort of vintage-Lacroix-miracle if the avs are going to be able to compete in the Northwest division next year.

Time to get creative guys!

As much as I wouldn’t mind another high draft pick, watching us get manhandled by every team in our division doesn’t sound like my idea of a good time.

Chris

Sounds great, Mr. K, just supply me with tickets at a price that reflects your new cost-cutting mantra. Somewhere just above the league minimum should suffice. My wallet is going through a bit of a “youth movement,” a bit of a rebuilding phase, if you will. You could even put one of those big smiley faces out in front of the Pepsi Center in order to advertise the new “roll-back” price.
Welcome to the Monfort era for all Denver sports…time to find a new sweater to cheer. I can only hope to find a bailout as sweet (and as well deserved) as Quenneville’s.

Chris

Sounds great, Mr. K, just supply me with tickets at a price that reflects your new cost-cutting mantra. Somewhere just above the league minimum should suffice. My wallet is going through a bit of a “youth movement,” a bit of a rebuilding phase, if you will. You could even put one of those big smiley faces out in front of the Pepsi Center in order to advertise the new “roll-back” price.
Welcome to the Monfort era for all Denver sports…time to find a new sweater to cheer. I can only hope to find a bailout as sweet (and as well deserved) as Quenneville’s.

HockeyGirl

If Kronke wants a payroll that low, then he better lower tickets prices to the minumum or at least the same price as the Nuggets. I beleive my seats in section 378 row 8 that cost $56 for the Avs per game should go down to $33 each which is what Nuggets fans pay for those seats. Maybe he should charge what they charge to see the Lake Erie Monsters since that would be the teame we would be watching.

HockeyGirl

If Kronke wants a payroll that low, then he better lower tickets prices to the minumum or at least the same price as the Nuggets. I beleive my seats in section 378 row 8 that cost $56 for the Avs per game should go down to $33 each which is what Nuggets fans pay for those seats. Maybe he should charge what they charge to see the Lake Erie Monsters since that would be the teame we would be watching.

Jeremy

Kroenke’s got a net worth (according to Forbes) of 1.8 Billion! He’s married to one of the heirs of the Walmart throne. And he wants to shed payroll? The cap is 56 Million…you’re telling me he can’t afford for the team to be right up against it?

As a fan I can tolerate bad coaching, bad front office decision making, and horrible public relations..to a degree. Seriously the way they’re handling the current Sakic decision is a joke. If he’s made a decision (which Sherman has already stated he has) let your fans/season ticket holders know what the heck it is. They deserve that much.

What I can’t tolerate is an organization that no longer seems to covet being the best. They’re not the Kansas City Royals they’ve got the means to spend with just about anybody in the NHL.

This team still has the talent to make the playoffs next year. If they remain healthy and get consistent goaltending.

Trading established players like Smyth just to shed payroll is only going to drive fans away. And in case Kroenke was unaware, if fans don’t come you ain’t making money no matter how much payroll you shed to negate that fact.

Jeremy

Kroenke’s got a net worth (according to Forbes) of 1.8 Billion! He’s married to one of the heirs of the Walmart throne. And he wants to shed payroll? The cap is 56 Million…you’re telling me he can’t afford for the team to be right up against it?

As a fan I can tolerate bad coaching, bad front office decision making, and horrible public relations..to a degree. Seriously the way they’re handling the current Sakic decision is a joke. If he’s made a decision (which Sherman has already stated he has) let your fans/season ticket holders know what the heck it is. They deserve that much.

What I can’t tolerate is an organization that no longer seems to covet being the best. They’re not the Kansas City Royals they’ve got the means to spend with just about anybody in the NHL.

This team still has the talent to make the playoffs next year. If they remain healthy and get consistent goaltending.

Trading established players like Smyth just to shed payroll is only going to drive fans away. And in case Kroenke was unaware, if fans don’t come you ain’t making money no matter how much payroll you shed to negate that fact.

Aron

Come on Adrian, you know it’s not all Giguere’s fault. Lacroix has always been the head guy in this organization. The so called “management restructuring”, which suspiciously looks like exactly the old structure with only the names of the puppets having changed, has made that clearer than ever.

It’s about time the media AND Kroenke stop giving Lacroix a pass. This is his mess from top to bottom.

Aron

Come on Adrian, you know it’s not all Giguere’s fault. Lacroix has always been the head guy in this organization. The so called “management restructuring”, which suspiciously looks like exactly the old structure with only the names of the puppets having changed, has made that clearer than ever.

It’s about time the media AND Kroenke stop giving Lacroix a pass. This is his mess from top to bottom.

Heather

Duh. It’s always been clear.

Heather

Duh. It’s always been clear.

JW

i have no problem paying smyth what we pay him but as for the others, what a waste!!!

JW

i have no problem paying smyth what we pay him but as for the others, what a waste!!!

Jared

The Avs I think if they make some smart off season moves will make the playoffs. They’ll have to make some good defensive descions. I’m not all that worried about offense with Duchene, a healthy Stastny, and possibly Joe Sakic. They should get rid of Salei, Arnason, Tucker, and the big waste of money Hannan. I’m not concerned about Budaj as much as I was with Raycroft maybe coming back but Greg would be stupid for him to re-sign him. Hejduk and Smyth are magic with a good healthy center in there (Sakic, Stastny, or Duchene). Ty Conklin, Martin Biron, or JS Giguere would be nice between the pipes. We can’t wait around for ever for Jonas to decide. Look the other teams he is looking at Toronto, Dallas, San Jose…. They all have good starting goalies (Toskala, Nabokov, and Turco). He would be the starter here no doubt. It depends on how stupid he is.

Jared

The Avs I think if they make some smart off season moves will make the playoffs. They’ll have to make some good defensive descions. I’m not all that worried about offense with Duchene, a healthy Stastny, and possibly Joe Sakic. They should get rid of Salei, Arnason, Tucker, and the big waste of money Hannan. I’m not concerned about Budaj as much as I was with Raycroft maybe coming back but Greg would be stupid for him to re-sign him. Hejduk and Smyth are magic with a good healthy center in there (Sakic, Stastny, or Duchene). Ty Conklin, Martin Biron, or JS Giguere would be nice between the pipes. We can’t wait around for ever for Jonas to decide. Look the other teams he is looking at Toronto, Dallas, San Jose…. They all have good starting goalies (Toskala, Nabokov, and Turco). He would be the starter here no doubt. It depends on how stupid he is.

Tucker

True life, AD. Fact is, Sherman is going to have to do the best he can to overcome these pre-set obstacles for the next 2 years. He did an admirable job at the draft (Tyson Barrie is the only one I’m not sold on) and frankly I think that this management group will make the best of this tough FA session. I really think we need to bring in a vet for the bottom 6. Hinote or Goc would be nice, and would easily come under 1.5 mill.

Tucker

True life, AD. Fact is, Sherman is going to have to do the best he can to overcome these pre-set obstacles for the next 2 years. He did an admirable job at the draft (Tyson Barrie is the only one I’m not sold on) and frankly I think that this management group will make the best of this tough FA session. I really think we need to bring in a vet for the bottom 6. Hinote or Goc would be nice, and would easily come under 1.5 mill.

Ann

And how many years did the Avalanche support your less than stellar (to put it mildly) Nuggets Mr Kroenke?

Ann

And how many years did the Avalanche support your less than stellar (to put it mildly) Nuggets Mr Kroenke?

Pascal P

This is a non sense. The salary cap is there to make sure each team has roughly the same payroll and can’t go up to absurd numbers.
Since when should you look at reducing payroll cost far under the salary cap when trying to bring the excitment, the results and the public back ?
You only got what you paid for and there is no magic involved there. The only way the Avs could have a low payroll and a good team would be by having drafted great nhl ready young talent the last 3 seasons and recruited underestimated free players wich is not the case.
If Kroenke does no effort to give he Avs a team that can do better than last in the west he may spend 5-10 millions less in payroll but he will lose them in tickets and merchandising.
What is pissing me off there is that the Avs had one single losing season and missed the playoffs for only the second time in history and no later than last year the won a playoff series.
What Kroenke plans is only going to make the Avs a bad team for years to come and that’s sad

Pascal P

This is a non sense. The salary cap is there to make sure each team has roughly the same payroll and can’t go up to absurd numbers.
Since when should you look at reducing payroll cost far under the salary cap when trying to bring the excitment, the results and the public back ?
You only got what you paid for and there is no magic involved there. The only way the Avs could have a low payroll and a good team would be by having drafted great nhl ready young talent the last 3 seasons and recruited underestimated free players wich is not the case.
If Kroenke does no effort to give he Avs a team that can do better than last in the west he may spend 5-10 millions less in payroll but he will lose them in tickets and merchandising.
What is pissing me off there is that the Avs had one single losing season and missed the playoffs for only the second time in history and no later than last year the won a playoff series.
What Kroenke plans is only going to make the Avs a bad team for years to come and that’s sad

Niklas J

Salei and Clark are the easiest to move, they are in their “contract years” (last year of their respective contracts). Foote is too, but I highly doubt he’s going anywhere. They have to do something with Tucker, but a trade is out of the question because nobody wants him. Hannan and Smyth? just bad contracts (FG), can’t move them until the deadline. They should not move Liles though, he’s in the prime of his career and a very good player for many years to come; moving him would do more damage to success in the future than help with any finance issues now.

Still though, they hired the new guys to undo what FG did…

Niklas J

Salei and Clark are the easiest to move, they are in their “contract years” (last year of their respective contracts). Foote is too, but I highly doubt he’s going anywhere. They have to do something with Tucker, but a trade is out of the question because nobody wants him. Hannan and Smyth? just bad contracts (FG), can’t move them until the deadline. They should not move Liles though, he’s in the prime of his career and a very good player for many years to come; moving him would do more damage to success in the future than help with any finance issues now.

Still though, they hired the new guys to undo what FG did…

Adrian Dater

True, it’s not all Giguere’s fault. Not by a longshot. Lacroix hired him. But I believe it’s true that Giguere had mostly free reign on the contract numbers to hand out.

Adrian Dater

True, it’s not all Giguere’s fault. Not by a longshot. Lacroix hired him. But I believe it’s true that Giguere had mostly free reign on the contract numbers to hand out.

soothsayer

The Budaj signing is a head scratcher, if cutting payroll is a priority. The mandatory 10% raise would have put him at 880,000…I would have offered him 900,000 or let him walk if a “matchable” (RFA) offer was to high.
Not impressed with FG jr. so far…I still think FG jr. is an interim GM…Sacko too. (Roy?)

soothsayer

The Budaj signing is a head scratcher, if cutting payroll is a priority. The mandatory 10% raise would have put him at 880,000…I would have offered him 900,000 or let him walk if a “matchable” (RFA) offer was to high.
Not impressed with FG jr. so far…I still think FG jr. is an interim GM…Sacko too. (Roy?)

Megan

This just proves that management at this organization does not know what in the name of Lord Stanley and Gordie Howe they are doing. Time to turn it over to someone who is actually going to care about making the franchise respectable again.

Megan

This just proves that management at this organization does not know what in the name of Lord Stanley and Gordie Howe they are doing. Time to turn it over to someone who is actually going to care about making the franchise respectable again.

Tucker

Well, I for one am still optomistic that this management group is extremely capable, especially after watching the draft. The ownership, however, I am really starting to question. Stan, you used to be so good to the fans, what happened? AD, any word on Yip or Mercier? If we do go down this road, we’re gonna need all the rookies we can get.

Tucker

Well, I for one am still optomistic that this management group is extremely capable, especially after watching the draft. The ownership, however, I am really starting to question. Stan, you used to be so good to the fans, what happened? AD, any word on Yip or Mercier? If we do go down this road, we’re gonna need all the rookies we can get.

Thrawn

I think it is kind of idiotic logic that Kroenke is using if it is true that he has been saying that cutting the payroll improved the Nuggets, therefore the Avs will improve by slashing the budget.

The Nuggets got lucky, and deep down, the rest of the top brass knows it. Getting rid of Iverson as an expensive load of dead weight was a no brainer, but very few saw what what was coming with Chauncey on the team. It would be an improvement, sure, but not at the magnitude what we actually saw last year.

To think the same thing will happen with the Avs by slashing the budget simply because it worked for the Nuggets is a reach in my opinion. ESPECIALLY if it is as low as Dater suggested was the goal. If Kroenke wants to punish the Avs for incompetence and mismanagement, then fair enough. Just don’t sit there and tell me that it is because this will improve the team like it did for the Nuggets. All slashing the budget to near the floor cap is going to accomplish is to send a message to Avs fans (many of which already suspect that Kroenke cares little about the Avs) that their suspicions may be true.

That also tells me that they probably won’t go get an decent veteran goalie, since most of them would cost somewhere in the 4-5 million range. That puts more of their eggs in the Gustavson basket, which I’m not convinced he will be here. (Who wants to be exposed behind THIS defense? Especially if he is looking for a big payday the following year and doesn’t want the bad numbers.)

Kroenke is probably just dreaming anyway. Most of these contracts are as good as immovable until they expire.

Thrawn

I think it is kind of idiotic logic that Kroenke is using if it is true that he has been saying that cutting the payroll improved the Nuggets, therefore the Avs will improve by slashing the budget.

The Nuggets got lucky, and deep down, the rest of the top brass knows it. Getting rid of Iverson as an expensive load of dead weight was a no brainer, but very few saw what what was coming with Chauncey on the team. It would be an improvement, sure, but not at the magnitude what we actually saw last year.

To think the same thing will happen with the Avs by slashing the budget simply because it worked for the Nuggets is a reach in my opinion. ESPECIALLY if it is as low as Dater suggested was the goal. If Kroenke wants to punish the Avs for incompetence and mismanagement, then fair enough. Just don’t sit there and tell me that it is because this will improve the team like it did for the Nuggets. All slashing the budget to near the floor cap is going to accomplish is to send a message to Avs fans (many of which already suspect that Kroenke cares little about the Avs) that their suspicions may be true.

That also tells me that they probably won’t go get an decent veteran goalie, since most of them would cost somewhere in the 4-5 million range. That puts more of their eggs in the Gustavson basket, which I’m not convinced he will be here. (Who wants to be exposed behind THIS defense? Especially if he is looking for a big payday the following year and doesn’t want the bad numbers.)

Kroenke is probably just dreaming anyway. Most of these contracts are as good as immovable until they expire.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.

Chambers covers college and professional hockey for The Denver Post. He has written for the Post since 1994, after dumping his first 9-to-5 office job a couple years out of college. He primarily follows the University of Denver hockey team and helps cover the Avalanche.